Antminer Custom Firmware

The authors of the paper likely wanted to explore the possibilities of custom firmware for Antminer devices, which can provide more control over the mining process, improve efficiency, and potentially increase profits.

Stock firmware runs a trimmed Linux (OpenWrt-based) on the control board. CFW replaces the kernel module ( asic_control ) that communicates with the hashboards via I²C or SPI. It injects custom voltage-frequency tables into the BM1387/BM1397/BM1398 ASICs. antminer custom firmware

While the rewards are high, installing custom firmware does come with caveats: The authors of the paper likely wanted to